DIMAPUR, JANUARY 8 (MExN): Despite much fanfare surrounding the launching of 3G internet service in Nagaland by telecom giant BSNL last year, hundreds of 3G subscribers in the state are unable to access the internet. Except for some areas, most of the subscribers in Dimapur have no use for their 3G modem due to non-availability or poor network.
The silence on the part of BSNL Dimapur office has not helped in alleviating the woes of the customers either. 3G customers who come to enquire about non-availability of internet service are made to shuffle back and forth in the sales and marketing, customer care and activation cells of BSNL Dimapur.
Even the staffs of the cells are unable to give concrete answers to queries of the customers. While an employee of the sales & marketing cell said that the non-availability or poor network in recent days was due to “mobile portability and server problem” originating from Kolkatta, another staffer from customer care pointed Shillong as the source.
“I brought the SkyNet 3G internet in the first week of December, 2010, and except for a couple of days, the network was so poor that I could not access the net since then,” a subscriber said. “What is the use of buying the SkyNet modem for Rs. 3900 and SIM card for Rs. 600 if I cannot even access my mail for the past two weeks. The BSNL should have first cautioned us on areas or pockets where their network is poor or not available,” another subscriber said.
There are others who complained that their services were abruptly cut off in the past week without any prior information. A third customer said that three days after his service was cut off, when he tried the connection again, he received a SMS that read, “Your Plan has been changed from 3G Data Plan MB400 to 3G Data Plan MB400 on 04-jan-11. For any query or help please contact 9400024365. Thanks.”
“After many frustrating attempts to open the Yahoo website, when I dialed the number (9400024365) through my cellphone, the only response was the pre-recorded voice ‘this number does not exist,’” he added. The complaints of the customers are not without basis.
In many pockets of Dimapur, if there is network (poor) and the “Bsnlnet is now connected” icon appears, it takes at least two minutes to open the Google website and you have to wait another five to ten minutes to view the display of your search. But for other websites like Yahoo loaded with photos and advertisements, your attempts will end up with “Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage.”
Many subscribers feel that BSNL should come out with concrete explanations for the poor 3G service, give specific time frame for full dependability of the service, or refund their money and provide alternative service. Sources said more than 600 people including some 400 in Dimapur are subscribing to BSNL 3G internet service.
The silence on the part of BSNL Dimapur office has not helped in alleviating the woes of the customers either. 3G customers who come to enquire about non-availability of internet service are made to shuffle back and forth in the sales and marketing, customer care and activation cells of BSNL Dimapur.
Even the staffs of the cells are unable to give concrete answers to queries of the customers. While an employee of the sales & marketing cell said that the non-availability or poor network in recent days was due to “mobile portability and server problem” originating from Kolkatta, another staffer from customer care pointed Shillong as the source.
“I brought the SkyNet 3G internet in the first week of December, 2010, and except for a couple of days, the network was so poor that I could not access the net since then,” a subscriber said. “What is the use of buying the SkyNet modem for Rs. 3900 and SIM card for Rs. 600 if I cannot even access my mail for the past two weeks. The BSNL should have first cautioned us on areas or pockets where their network is poor or not available,” another subscriber said.
There are others who complained that their services were abruptly cut off in the past week without any prior information. A third customer said that three days after his service was cut off, when he tried the connection again, he received a SMS that read, “Your Plan has been changed from 3G Data Plan MB400 to 3G Data Plan MB400 on 04-jan-11. For any query or help please contact 9400024365. Thanks.”
“After many frustrating attempts to open the Yahoo website, when I dialed the number (9400024365) through my cellphone, the only response was the pre-recorded voice ‘this number does not exist,’” he added. The complaints of the customers are not without basis.
In many pockets of Dimapur, if there is network (poor) and the “Bsnlnet is now connected” icon appears, it takes at least two minutes to open the Google website and you have to wait another five to ten minutes to view the display of your search. But for other websites like Yahoo loaded with photos and advertisements, your attempts will end up with “Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage.”
Many subscribers feel that BSNL should come out with concrete explanations for the poor 3G service, give specific time frame for full dependability of the service, or refund their money and provide alternative service. Sources said more than 600 people including some 400 in Dimapur are subscribing to BSNL 3G internet service.
